Defragging external hard drives at DVinfo.net

Jeff Anselmo · January 21st, 2008, 08:59 PM

Sorry if this thread is in the wrong section (please move it to the appropriate section, thanks!), but I just wanted to know if anyone is using a defrag program that quickly and efficiently defrags external hard drives?

I'm currently trying to defrag a 1TB external Western Digital HDD (USB only). (Tried it last night, but was stuck at 18% defrag; then performed a Disk Check, then defragged again; it actually said it "defragged" the files, but upon looking, there are still big chunks of file needing to be defragged.)

I've downloaded a free program that worked great for internal drives, but the program doesn't seem to recognize the external ones. Yikes! (Guess I might have to fork over for a defrag program)

I've also read NOT to defrag external hdds, as there is very little performance gained in doing so(???).

Thanks for any and all help and suggestions,

--JA
www.madjavaproductions.com

Chris Soucy · January 22nd, 2008, 01:25 AM

Can't help with the defrag program for externals, tho' as you didn't say what operating system you have, no one could.

As for "not defragging externals", whomever propounded that theory needs a refresher course in disc management.

If it's clean, there are no seeks (or a lot less, anyway) and that's what stuffs up access times.

Get one (a defragger that works) and use it (lots).

CS

Paul Kellett · January 22nd, 2008, 03:18 AM

For windows i use Auslogics disk defrag,it's really fast,especially for vista which has a crap built in defrag.with auslogics defrag you can also select which drive you want defraged.Here's the link.
http://www.auslogics.com/en/software...efrag/download
.

Ervin Farkas · January 22nd, 2008, 11:31 AM

Could someone please tell us everyday PC users ), why is a third party program better than the built-in Windows defragger (I guess it's the same in Mac Land though) - other than maybe the option to run automatically when the computer is idle?

And Paul, what do you mean by "with auslogics defrag you can also select which drive you want defraged"? Any Windows OS can do that...

Thanks,

Allen Plowman · January 22nd, 2008, 01:15 PM

windows does not compress files very well, and windows does not defrag pagefiles. most good defrag software will also need much less free space to operate.

Paul Kellett · January 22nd, 2008, 01:32 PM

Ervin,in Jeffs original post he states that he downloaded a program for defragging but the program only see's internal drives,not external drives,which i did think was strange but then i don't know what defragging program he's using.
Auslogics is free to download,and has a drop down list of your pc's drives.

Ervin Farkas · January 22nd, 2008, 01:38 PM

Allen & Paul, thank you for your replies - I have to confess, I was ignorant when it comes to defragmenting... I thought Microsoft should know how Windows operates best.

I have noticed that sometimes after defragmenting there are still some fragmented files left, so that's probably because the built-in program is not the best... I will give Auslogics a closer look.

Thanks again for clarifying,

Steve House · January 23rd, 2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Anselmo

...
I'm currently trying to defrag a 1TB external Western Digital HDD (USB only). ...
I've downloaded a free program that worked great for internal drives, but the program doesn't seem to recognize the external ones. Yikes! (Guess I might have to fork over for a defrag program)

I've also read NOT to defrag external hdds, as there is very little performance gained in doing so(???).

I use a program for Windows called PerfectDisk www.raxco.com. Works very efficiently on my external drives and I do find a performance advantage if I keep them defragged. You do have to turn on permission at the OS level for any defrag program to work with externals as not all USB drives are well behaved but my WD drives work just fine with it.

John Miller · January 23rd, 2008, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ervin Farkas

Could someone please tell us everyday PC users ), why is a third party program better than the built-in Windows defragger

The built-in defragger is essentially a limited version of Diskeeper. Executive Software (now Diskeeper Corp.) worked in partnership with Microsoft to develop the defragmenter for NT-based Windows.

Jeff Anselmo · January 23rd, 2008, 11:57 AM

Hi folks,

Thanks for all the suggestions and replies!

Chris-
I'm on a PC platform, running XP at the moment. And agree with you wholeheartedly!

Paul-
Will look into auslogics soon.

Steve-
That's exactly the same program I downloaded from cnet (30 day trial). When I clicked on the PerfectDisk program, none of the externals came up. Would you mind sending me an email on how you gave "permission to the OS for any defrag program to work with externals"? That would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again!

--JA
www.madjavaproductions.com

Steven Davis · January 23rd, 2008, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ervin Farkas

I thought Microsoft should know how Windows operates best.

Whew, that's a scary thought. Microsoft knows best, and even though he thinks he's our father, he doesn't always know best. (thanks in advance to the aged who get that.)

I was under the impression that the software from WD will defrag as well, maybe that's a pipe dream and I need a good punch in the kisser to wake up.

As for degragging in general, I've heard two lines of thought; one; if it aint broke don't fix it and two; defrag after doing a large project. Since I'm still in the storage stage with a large collection of drives, I don't defrag my video drives, heck the sections of data are so large, that it would be like moving large bowling balls around in a bathtub.

Just some thoughts.

Allen Plowman · January 23rd, 2008, 01:15 PM

microsoft makes a huge amount of software, reasonably well. I am still amazed at how much nicer the free firefox browser is compared to microsofts internet explorer

John Miller · January 23rd, 2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allen Plowman

microsoft makes a huge amount of software, reasonably well. I am still amazed at how much nicer the free firefox browser is compared to microsofts internet explorer

Microsoft *could* surpass the other browsers if they wanted to but then they'd be accused of abusing their market position even more than they are now.

Personally, I've never seen the benefit(s) of other browsers but then I'm funny that way. (Though I have just got an HDV camcorder thereby rendering my previous protestations about the format rather hypocritical!)

Steve House · January 23rd, 2008, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Anselmo

...
Steve-
That's exactly the same program I downloaded from cnet (30 day trial). When I clicked on the PerfectDisk program, none of the externals came up. Would you mind sending me an email on how you gave "permission to the OS for any defrag program to work with externals"? That would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again!

--JA
www.madjavaproductions.com

Email Sent

Ervin Farkas · January 23rd, 2008, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve House

Email Sent

Steve, I believe that info is needed by many others here - could you please post it?

January 21st, 2008, 08:59 PM	#1
Jeff Anselmo Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 566	Defragging external hard drives Sorry if this thread is in the wrong section (please move it to the appropriate section, thanks!), but I just wanted to know if anyone is using a defrag program that quickly and efficiently defrags external hard drives? I'm currently trying to defrag a 1TB external Western Digital HDD (USB only). (Tried it last night, but was stuck at 18% defrag; then performed a Disk Check, then defragged again; it actually said it "defragged" the files, but upon looking, there are still big chunks of file needing to be defragged.) I've downloaded a free program that worked great for internal drives, but the program doesn't seem to recognize the external ones. Yikes! (Guess I might have to fork over for a defrag program) I've also read NOT to defrag external hdds, as there is very little performance gained in doing so(???). Thanks for any and all help and suggestions, --JA www.madjavaproductions.com

January 22nd, 2008, 01:25 AM	#2
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,693 Images: 18	Hi Jeff.......... Can't help with the defrag program for externals, tho' as you didn't say what operating system you have, no one could. As for "not defragging externals", whomever propounded that theory needs a refresher course in disc management. If it's clean, there are no seeks (or a lot less, anyway) and that's what stuffs up access times. Get one (a defragger that works) and use it (lots). CS

January 22nd, 2008, 03:18 AM	#3
Paul Kellett Trustee Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bristol UK Posts: 1,273	For windows i use Auslogics disk defrag,it's really fast,especially for vista which has a crap built in defrag.with auslogics defrag you can also select which drive you want defraged.Here's the link. http://www.auslogics.com/en/software...efrag/download . __________________ Round 2 GH5,FZ2000

January 22nd, 2008, 11:31 AM	#4
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	Since someone brought up the subject... Could someone please tell us everyday PC users ), why is a third party program better than the built-in Windows defragger (I guess it's the same in Mac Land though) - other than maybe the option to run automatically when the computer is idle? And Paul, what do you mean by "with auslogics defrag you can also select which drive you want defraged"? Any Windows OS can do that... Thanks, __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

January 22nd, 2008, 01:32 PM	#6
Paul Kellett Trustee Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bristol UK Posts: 1,273	Ervin,in Jeffs original post he states that he downloaded a program for defragging but the program only see's internal drives,not external drives,which i did think was strange but then i don't know what defragging program he's using. Auslogics is free to download,and has a drop down list of your pc's drives. __________________ Round 2 GH5,FZ2000

January 22nd, 2008, 01:15 PM	#5
Allen Plowman Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Paradise, california Posts: 353	windows does not compress files very well, and windows does not defrag pagefiles. most good defrag software will also need much less free space to operate.

January 22nd, 2008, 01:38 PM	#7
Ervin Farkas Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta/USA Posts: 2,515	Allen & Paul, thank you for your replies - I have to confess, I was ignorant when it comes to defragmenting... I thought Microsoft should know how Windows operates best. I have noticed that sometimes after defragmenting there are still some fragmented files left, so that's probably because the built-in program is not the best... I will give Auslogics a closer look. Thanks again for clarifying, __________________ Ervin Farkas www.AtlantaLegalVideo.com

January 23rd, 2008, 11:57 AM	#10
Jeff Anselmo Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 566	Hi folks, Thanks for all the suggestions and replies! Chris- I'm on a PC platform, running XP at the moment. And agree with you wholeheartedly! Paul- Will look into auslogics soon. Steve- That's exactly the same program I downloaded from cnet (30 day trial). When I clicked on the PerfectDisk program, none of the externals came up. Would you mind sending me an email on how you gave "permission to the OS for any defrag program to work with externals"? That would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again! --JA www.madjavaproductions.com

January 23rd, 2008, 01:15 PM	#12
Allen Plowman Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Paradise, california Posts: 353	microsoft makes a huge amount of software, reasonably well. I am still amazed at how much nicer the free firefox browser is compared to microsofts internet explorer